Fragmentary material digging apparatus



March 30, 1965 w. c. SMITH FRAGMENTARY MATERIAL DIGGING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 9, 1962 m & m m N a r F- Vc 5 N M w m .r T u M March 30, 1965 w. 0. SMITH 3,175,868

FRAGMENTARY MATERIAL DIGGING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 9, 1962 UWUUWUTU 7 z; 2 l g I 1 I &

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United States Patent 3,175,868 FRAGMENTARY MATERIAL DIGGING APPARATUS William C. Smith, North Vancouver, British Columbia,

Canada, assignor to Rader Pneumatics & Engineering Co. Ltd., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, a corporation of British Columbia Filed Apr. 9, 1962, Ser. No. 186,082 12 Claims. (Cl. 302-56) This invention relates to a machine for digging fragmentary material from a pile or stack to make the material available for handling, such as digging wood chips or other non-free-flowing material from a railway boxcar so that they may be transferred to awaiting trucks, barges or the like or to a pile on the ground.

Prior to the present invention, the digging and transferring of fragmentary material has usually been accomplished by shovelling. The shovelling is sometimes done manually, or sometimes mechanically, but both have serious disadvantages. Manual shovclling is time consum ing, hence expensive, and is difficult, particularly if the chips or the like are well shaken down and packed. Mechanical shovelling is often useful for transferring material which is piled in a heap, but it is of very limited use for transferring loosely scattered material. Mechanical shovelling is also not adapted for use in confined places such as railway box-cars, since the shovel anm requires space in which to swing. A further disadvantage of shovelling, either manually or mechanically, is that it is not a continuous operation. It requires one operation to pick-up the material with the shovel, and another to deposit the material. Usually the two are not carried out in precisely the same location, so that manoeuvring is required for each operation.

A machine which has some-times been used in the past for transferring fragmentary material consists of a loader using an endless moving conveyor belt on which the material rests. The material is placed on the belt at one end of the machine by suitable means and carried to the other end of the machine where it is deposited, usually by falling off the belt when the belt doubles back around a sprocket.

A further problem that has not been solved by any prior equipment results from the fact that fragmentary material, such as wood chips, packs into what seems to be a solid mass as a result of vibration during transportation. A similar problem exists as a result of solidification when the fragmentary material is transported or stored in freezing temperatures.

The present invention overcomes these difticulties by providing an apparatus which will dig into either loose or packed fragmentary material piled on a floor or on the ground and sweep or direct it to a point from which it can be removed and transferred to a specified location, eliminating the need for swinging arms of shovelling apparatus, conveyor belt carriers, or separate diggers to loosen or handle the material. In a preferred form of this invention the steps of loosening, digging, sweeping and removing the material are integrated into 'a single continuous operation.

This invention in its broadest aspect consists of an apparatus comprising a frame having traction means mounted on it. This traction means preferably comprises and less belts or tracks, but it may be wheels, rollers and the like. For deep or difficult piles the apparatus may include agitator means mounted on the frame for loosening the compact fragmentary material and causing it to drop downwardly towards the floor or ground. The material either loosened by such agitation or not is engaged by digger means included in the apparatus and which transfers it rearwardly thereof for further handling, and the 3,175,868 Patented Mar. 30, 1965 ice apparatus preferably includes suitable pick up means for moving the material away therefrom. An important feature of this invention is that the digger means is so arranged relative to the traction means that it keeps the material away from said traction means.

In drawings which illustrate five forms of the invention:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus, partly in section;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation;

FIGURE 3 is a rear elevation;

FIGURE 4- is a View along the line 4-4 in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4, illustrating an alternative form of the invention.

FIGURES l to 4 of the drawings illustrate a machine 9 which comprises a frame Iii carried by suitable traction means, such as two endless, laterally spaced tracks or belts 11 which are driven by a motor 12.. Each track 11 is entrained on two idler sprockets 13 and one driving sprocket 14. Intermediate rollers 15 are mounted on the frame between the idler sprockets 13 to distribute the weight of the machine on the tracks. Motor 12 is connected to drive the sprocket 14 on each side of the machine in any suitable manner. In this example, motor 12 drives a hydraulic pump 16 for each of said driving sprockets, each pump supplying fluid to a hydraulic motor 17 which is coupled to a gear reducer 18 which turns the sprocket 14. This arrangement allows tracks 11 t0 be driven at the same or different speeds, and in opposite directions.

A pair of agitators 22 are mounted on the frame 10 in line with, and in front of, tracks 11. These agitators 22 each comprise a vertical shaft 23 with finger-like projections 24 extending outwardly. It is also desirable to provide at least the lower portion of each shaft 23 with a spiral blade 26 extending longitudinally thereof. Each shaft 23 rotates about its longitudinal axis and is driven by a motor 27 through a gear reducer 28 and an endless belt 29. i

If desired, agitator 22 may be mounted for vertical adjustment, In this case, the shafts 23 are carried by vertically swingable supports 30 and 31, and suitable means, such as a fluid cylinder 32, is connected to support 30 to adjust said support up or down. This raises or lowers the lower ends of shafts 23 relative to the surface on which the machine is located.

One or more digger elements 33 are carried by frame 10 immediately above the floor level. Each digger element is preferably adjacent a track 11, and in the preferred form of the invention of FIGURES 1 to 4, an element 33 encircles each track 11 just above floor level. Each digger 33 comprises a belt or chain 34 entrained on horizontal sprockets 35 and 36 mounted fore and aft respectively of idler sprockets 13. Each front sprocket 35 is preferably secured to the base of the corresponding agitator shaft 33 so that the shaft turns the sprocket, thus driving the digger. The two sprockets. 35 turn in opposite directions so that both chains 34 face each other as they travel towards the rear of the machine. Chains 34 are spaced apart to form a passage 39 therebetween. Projections 40 extend outwardly from the chains 34 and are substantially horizontal in orientation. These projections move rearwardly through passage 39 when the machine is in operation. a

While agitators 22 have been shown in front of digger elements 33 for convenience of construction and operation, it is obvious that the digger elements may be provided with their own source of power, in which case the agitators may be located wherever desired at the front of the machine.

Suitable means may be provided near the rear of the machine for removing the chips or the like away from thelatter. In this example, a suction nozzle 43 is mounted at the rear of the frame where chains 34 diverge around rear sprockets 36. Suction nozzle 43 comprises a lower vertical section 45 and an upper horizontal section 46 swingably mounted on said lower section. Actually, horizontal section 46 is pivotally mounted on a vertical pin 47. Nozzle 43 has an intake 4% and an outlet 50. Intake 49 is adjacent the floor where chains 34 diverge around rear sprockets 36. Outlet 50 is designed to be connected to a hose, not shown, extending to a suction unit external of the apparatus. It is obvious that the machine may be provided with its own suction-blower unit for lifting the fragmented material through nozzle 43 and directing it away from said apparatus.

Directly above the suction nozzle 43 is a platform for the operator of the machine to stand on. The operator faces forward and has in front of him a control panel 37 which includes two hydraulic valves 57 and 58 for controlling the hydraulic motor 17 to drive the left and right tracks 11 as desired.

In operation the agitators 22 engage a compact mound of fragmentary material, knocking the material loose so that it falls to the floor. Projections 24 on the rotating shafts 23 strike the material in the wall of the compact mound and tear this material loose. The spiral blade 26 tends to lift the compacted material and thereby assist in the loosening thereof.

The material may be loosened by agitators 22 to fall to the floor, or if the material is very tightly packed, the

' material between the agitators may drop as a unit towards the floor at the front of the machine. In either case, and even if the agitators are omitted, diggers 33 dig into the material on the floor at the front of the machine.

The material is engaged by the projections 40 of the diggers at the front end of the machine and is dragged along the floor through passage 39 under the machine towards the rear thereof. Since projections 40 extend ahead of frame 10 as the digger chains 34 are rounding the front sprocket 35, these projections also aid in the loosening of the material by undermining the mound.

The arrangement of diggers 33 encircling tracks 11 me vents material from building up directly in front of or behind the tracks. Consequently, the tracks can operate without being impeded by the material, and can maintain contact with the floor or ground at all times. This results in better traction and manoeuvrability than if the tracks moved over on the material. Manoeuvrability is very desirable, particularly when operating in confined places. Furthermore, it is necessary to get a good grip on the floor or surface in order to advance the apparatus into the pile. The independently controlled tracks 11 also facilitate manoeuvrability, since the machine can be turnedin substantially its own length by operating the tracks in opposite directions.

The material is dragged along the floor under machine 9 by diggers 33 towards the rear where it is picked up 7 by suction at nozzle 43 if the latter is used. Other conbehind the unit in any desired manner, such as by scrapers,

shovels orthe like.

'FIGURE 5 more or less diagrammatically illustrates machine 9 with an alternative form of digger means associatedwith the tracks or belts 11. In place of digger elements 33, the machine has augers 65 and 66 extending along the inner and outer sides, respectively, of each track 11. The augers 65 for the two tracks extend along passage 39 and are preferably larger than the augers 66 at the outer sides of said tracks. These augers may be driven by suitable driving connections by motor 28, or they may have driving connections with the agitators 22. In any case, the augers are rotated to move the fragmentary material from near the front of the machine and to the rear thereof. These keep the tracks clear along the opposite sides thereof. In order to keep the front ends of the tracks clear, it is desirable to lower the agitators 22 so that the projections 24 thereof direct material on the ground or floor from in front of tracks 11 and inwardly into the path of augers 65. A baffle 76 is mounted at the back of the machine and is shaped to direct material from the rearward ends of augers 66 into the central area beneath nozzle 43. If desired, small augers, not shown, may extend inwardly from the rearward ends of augers 66 across the ends of tracks 11 towards nozzle 43.

The digger of FIGURE 5 operates substantially in the same manner as the digger of FIGURES l to 4. Agitators 22 function as described above as well as clear loose material from in front of tracks 11. Augers and 66 move the material rearwardly to the back of the machine, and this material is picked up through nozzle 43, if the latter is used.

As stated above, the digging apparatus may be operated on any surface, such as the ground, a floor or the like. The term floor as used in the following claims, is intended to include any surface over which the apparatus may be moved.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A machine for digging fragmentary material piled on a floor, comprising a frame, a pair of laterally-spaced traction tracks mounted on and extending longitudinally of the frame for moving the machine over a floor, and digging means extending along and forwardly of the tracks for digging into material in front of the machine and shifting loosened material rearwardly along the floor between and clear of said tracks to a portion of the machine where it is available for further handling.

2. A digging machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the digging means comprises a pair of digging'belts having projections extending outwardly therefrom, each digging belt surrounding a track and being mounted to move horizontally around said track, said digging belts being spaced from each other to form a passage therebetween, and power means for moving the digging belts to cause the projections thereof to dig into material in front of the machine and to move loosened material rearw'ardly through'said passage.

3. A digging machine as claimed in claim 2 including means in the passage near the rear of the machine for picking up the loosened material and moving it in a desired direction.

4. A digging machine as claimed in claim 1 including power means for moving each track independently of the other track.

5. A machine for digging fragmentary material piled on a iloor, comprising a frame, a pair of laterally-spaced traction tracks mounted on and extending longitudinally of the frame for moving the machine over a floor, said tracks forming a longitudinal passage therebetween, a vertical agitator immediately ahead of each track for working into and loosening fragmentary material, and conveying means extending near the floor level along each of said tracks in the passage for shifting loosened material rearwardly along the floor in said passage clear of the tracks to a portion of the machine where it is available for further handling.

6. A machine for digging fragmentary material piled on a floor, comprising a frame, a pair of endless tracks mounted beneath the frame for movment thereof, a pair of substantially vertical rotatable shafts mounted on the frame at a front end of the frame ahead of the tracks and having projections extending outwardly therefrom and adapted to loosen heaped compact fragmentary material ahead of the machine, an endless movable unit encircling each track in a horizontal plane, said unit having projections extending outwardly therefrom and adapted to engage and moove loosened material along a surface supporting the machine to a collection point, a suction nozzle mounted on the frame adjacent the collection point, and a conduit associated with the suction nozzle adapted to guide the material from said nozzle in an adjustable predetermined direction.

7. A machine as defined in claim 6 in which the suction nozzle comprises a lower vertical section opening downwardly, and an upper horizontal section swingably mounted on said lower section.

8. A machine as claimed in claim 7, in which the outlet is adapted to detachably engage a hose.

9. A machine for digging fragmentary material piled on a floor, comprising a frame, a pair of endless tracks mounted on and carrying the frame for moving the machine over a floor, said tracks extending longitudinally of the frame and being spaced apart laterally to form a passage therebetween, an endless movable unit encircling each track in a substantially horizontal plane and near the floor level, power means for moving said units around their respective tracks, and projections on and txtending outwardly from each of said units, said projections during movement of said units extending outwardly to engage and loosen material ahead of the machine as the projections travel around forward ends of the tracks and moving rearwardly along said passage to move said loosened material in the same direction on the floor along the passage.

10. A machine as claimed in claim 9 including a vertical agitator carried by the frame at the forward end of and substantially in line with each track and above the endless movable unit of said each track, said agitators being adapted to loosen piled fragmentary material ahead of the machine and cause said material to drop down near the projections of said units.

11. A machine as claimed in claim 9 including means in the passage near the rear of the machine for picking up the loosened material and moving it in a desired direction.

12. A machine as claimed in claim 10 in which each agitator is a rotatable shaft having projections extending outwardly therefrom.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,490,292 12/49 Yost 198-9 2,653,696 9/53 Moon 198-8 2,664,185 12/53 Miller 198-8 2,721,643 10/55 Ewalds 198-8 2,877,057 3/59 Buman 302-56 2,888,253 5/59 Van Dusen 302-56 2,941,843 6/60 Crump 302-56 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. ANDRES H. NIELSEN, Examiner. 

9. A MACHINE FOR DIGGING FRAGMENTARY MATERIAL PILED ON A FLOOR, COMPRISING A FRAME, A PAIR OF ENDLESS TRACKS MOUNTED ON AND CARRYING THE FRAME FOR MOVING THE MACHINE OVER A FLOOR, SAID TRACKS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE FRAME AND BEING SPACED APART LATERALLY TO FORM A PASSAGE THEREBETWEEN, AN ENDLESS MOVABLE UNIT ENCIRCLING EACH TRACK IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL PLANE AND NEAR THE FLOOR LEVEL, POWER MEANS FOR MOVING SAID UNITS AROUND THEIR RESPECTIVE TRACKS, AND PROJECTIONS ON AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM EACH OF SAID UNITS, SAID PROJECTIONS DURING MOVEMENT OF SAID UNITS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY TO ENGAGE AND LOOSED MATERIAL AHEAD OF THE MACHINE AS THE PROJECTIONS TRAVEL AROUND FORWARD ENDS OF THE TRACKS AND MOVING REARWARDLY ALONG SAID PASSAGE TO MOVE SAID LOOSENED MATERIAL IN THE SAME DIRECTION ON THE FLOOR ALONG THE PASSAGE. 